US-backed aid group to start work in Gaza by end of May

A U.S.-backed humanitarian organization will start work in Gaza by the end of May under a heavily-criticized aid distribution plan, but has asked Israel to let the United Nations and others resume deliveries to Palestinians now until it is set up.

No humanitarian assistance has been delivered to Gaza since March 2, and a global hunger monitor has warned that half a million people face starvation - a quarter of the population in the enclave where Israel and Palestinian group Hamas have been at war since October 2023.

Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies, and is blocking humanitarian deliveries to Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages. Israel has said it backs "the American humanitarian plan."

That plan was initiated by Israel and involves private companies - instead of the UN and aid groups - transporting aid into Gaza to a limited number of so-called secure distribution sites, which Israel said would be in Gaza's south.

The newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will run the operation.

At the distribution sites, the humanitarian assistance would be given to aid groups to give to civilians, the source said.

Concerns

Aid groups have raised concerns that the operation would not stick to the long-held humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.

"We have made clear our problems with the sort of aid mechanism that's been proposed," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said earlier on Wednesday, citing heavy criticism of the proposed operation by UN aid chief Tom Fletcher.

In a letter to Israel on Wednesday, the foundation's executive director, Jake Wood, sought to address some of the concerns. He said the foundation would not share any personally identifiable information of aid recipients with Israel.

Israel's mission to the UN declined to comment.

Following the foundation's announcement, the International Committee of the Red Cross said concerns about the plan remained.

"Humanitarian aid should not be politicized nor militarized. The level of need among civilians in Gaza right now is overwhelming, and aid needs to be allowed to enter immediately and without impediment," said ICRC spokesperson Steve Dorsey.